She left that evening to go shopping and he knew that the day of Glinda's spell had come. He waffled on trying to decide when to head for the magic shop, but in the end decided to leave before Harmony returned so he could be there as the Lei-ach demons were arriving.

He had given some thought to killing them before they even got to the Magic Box, but ruled against it. If the Lei-ach demons had never come to shop, Tara's spell would never have been revealed and her family would have dragged her off with her still thinking she was a demon. If he let things unfold the way they had before, with just some minor modifications, then the outcome would be the same and Tara's family would be sent back home with a flea in their ear.

When he arrived at the Magic Box and Buffy didn't see him come into the training room, he knew that Glinda had already cast her spell. Positioning himself by the training room door, he waited for the Lei-achs to get there. He didn't have to wait long. Less than ten minutes later, the three demons entered the magic shop and two came into the training room. He hid by the exit so they wouldn't see him when they entered.

"Buffy! Behind you!" he warned as the demon attacked.

"What the?" Buffy gasped as she was struck by an invisible foe. "Spike!"

"I'm here, Buffy. It's a Lei-ach demon. It's on your left!"

She swung left, her fist hitting the beast and sending it flying, but she still couldn't see it or Spike.

"Where are you?" she demanded.

"Right here," he answered, standing next to her right shoulder. "You can't see me. Gl--Someone's cast a spell of non-seeing!"

"A what?"

Spike saw the second Lei-ach approaching and prepared to do battle. "A spell of non-seeing. There's another one here! It's coming at you from the left!"

Buffy took up fighting stance. "Are there any others?"

"One more, in the shop." He leaped and threw himself at the demon. "I've got this one. You go help the others!"

He watched until she was out of the training room before turning to his opponent. Lei-ach demons were strong, but not very fast or bright, and Spike easily overpowered it. He killed it with the scythe he grabbed from the wall and then hurried out to help Buffy.

It was at about that time that Tara arrived with her family, realized what was happening and revoked the spell, revealing the tableau of carnage and Buffy finishing off the Lei-ach she was fighting.

"What in gods name is that?" Tara's father demanded after witnessing Buffy snap the demon's neck.

"Lei-ach demon. Fun little buggers. Big with the marrow sucking," Spike replied, coming out of the training room.

"I don't understand," Tara's father said.

"I'm not sure I do either," Buffy commented, looking down at Tara, who was huddled by the counter.

"I'm sorry... I'm s-so sorry..." she was repeating over and over.

Willow approached her, confused and worried.

"I w-was just trying to hide... the spell went wrong..."

"Tara, what..." Willow asked.

"I didn't want you to see... what I am," Tara admitted, trembling.

"What you are?"

"I told you, you try to run from it you'll put these people in danger," Tara's father said, then motioned to the dead demon. "And, my God"

"I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt."

"I think you better explain. What do you mean, what you are?" Buffy demanded calmly.

"Demon," her father answered for her because she couldn't stop stuttering. "The women in our family have... demon in them. Her mother had it; it's where the magic comes from. This isn't something we generally like to share with strangers. We came to take her home before... well, before things like this started happening."

"Tara, you're not... how could you not say something to me... to me..." Willow asked, stricken and near tears.

Tara looked away, unable to answer. Giles stepped forward. "You put a spell on us to keep us from seeing your demon side. That's why we couldn't see our attackers."

"And nearly got us killed," Buffy pointed out, looking at Dawn.

Tara rose to her feet unsteadily. "I'll go. I'm very sorry."

"The camper's outside," her father told her gruffly.

"Wait! Go? She just did a spell that went wrong! Buffy, it was just a mistake!" Willow begged, not wanting to see her lover leave.

"It's not the point and it's not your concern. The girl belongs with us. We know how to control her problem," Tara's father insisted.

Willow refused to leave it at that. "Tara, look at me. I trusted you more than anyone in
my life. Was all of that a lie?"

"No! No..." Tara firmly denied.

"Do you want to leave?"

"That is not your decision, young lady," Tara's father said.

"I know that," Willow snapped, then turned to Tara. "Do you want to leave?"

Sniffing, Tara shook her head slightly.

"You are going to do what's right, Tara. Now I am taking you out of here before somebody DOES get killed. The girl belongs with her family, I hope that's clear to the rest of you," her father interrupted.

Buffy looked at Dawn, then at Tara, the wheels turning in her head. Spike watched the lights come on behind her green eyes and had to smile.

"It is. You want her, Mr. Maclay, you can go ahead and take her," Buffy said in her Slayer voice, crossing her arms and facing the man. "You just gotta go through me."

"What?" Tara's father blurted.

"You heard me. You wanna take Tara out of here against her will, then you gotta come through me," Buffy repeated calmly.

Dawn stepped up to stand beside her sister. "And me."

That's my girls,' Spike thought, biting his bottom lip to keep from smiling with pride. Then he looked over at Tara to see what was happening register on her face. No one's ever fought for you, eh Glinda? It's a good feeling innit?'